22 counties · Boom Town Index

Missouri

Avg BTI Score
67 / 100
Population
4.5M
+0.7% avg growth
National Rank
#8 of 51

State Overview

Missouri's economy in 2025-2026 is experiencing steady, albeit moderating, growth, primarily driven by migration into the state and targeted infrastructure investments. The state's population increased by nearly 27,000 residents between July 2024 and July 2025, with domestic migration, particularly from Illinois, being a significant factor. International migration also contributed to this growth. This influx of residents is supporting a stable housing market, where prices are expected to rise at a measured pace through 2026.

Major infrastructure projects, particularly along the I-70 corridor, are underway or scheduled, aiming to improve transportation and stimulate economic activity in regions like Kansas City and St. Louis. Policy changes, including a statewide minimum wage increase to $15 per hour effective January 1, 2026, and the repeal of a paid sick leave mandate, are reshaping the business landscape. While overall job growth continues, particularly in healthcare and construction, some sectors like manufacturing and information services have seen declines.

Median Household Income
$72,758
State median across 22 counties
Median Home Value
$230,500
Income-to-home ratio: 0.32
Building Permits
14,171
Total residential permits
Natural Amenity
6.1 / 10
#27 of 49 · USDA scale

Missouri Counties

22 counties
Rank County BTI Score Safety Proj. Growth GDP Pop Growth Income Ratio Home Price Climate P/R
01 Pulaski County 99 B +2.6% — +0.1% -3.0% 15.9x +6.2% 0.5 15x
02 Johnson County 99 B +2.6% — +0.7% +0.2% 16.3x +5.6% -2.0 18x
03 Buchanan County 98 D +2.5% — -0.3% +4.6% 4.8x +7.3% -0.5 15x
04 Cole County 94 C +3.5% — +0.1% +2.2% 5.4x +7.5% 1.0 20x
05 Newton County 93 B +2.2% — +1.1% +2.7% 9.0x +1.4% -0.4 12x
06 Franklin County 87 B- +1.6% — +0.6% +1.7% 11.3x +3.2% 0.4 17x
07 Jefferson County 86 B- +2.3% — +0.5% +2.9% 21.0x +4.5% 1.0 14x
08 Lincoln County 82 B +2.7% — +2.3% +4.7% 21.6x +5.4% 0.4 21x
09 Jasper County 79 C+ +0.4% — +0.7% +5.5% 7.0x +1.0% -2.3 11x
10 St. Francois County 75 C +0.2% — +0.2% +4.9% 10.7x +1.1% 1.7 18x
11 Cape Girardeau County 70 C +1.9% — +0.7% -0.7% 8.1x +4.8% 0.9 18x
12 Taney County 70 B -1.9% — +0.3% -3.0% 9.9x -0.2% 1.6 14x
13 Jackson County 62 F +0.9% — +0.4% +2.1% 6.0x +1.8% -1.5 13x
14 Greene County 60 C +0.6% — +0.8% +6.9% 6.4x +2.3% 0.6 15x
15 Boone County 57 C +1.1% — +1.2% +4.1% 8.2x +2.4% -0.0 16x
16 Christian County 53 B +0.5% — +1.9% +2.7% 26.5x +1.1% 0.1 16x
17 Cass County 51 B- +1.7% — +1.3% +0.1% 20.5x +6.0% -1.7 14x
18 Clay County 41 B- -0.2% — +1.0% +2.7% 9.9x +1.7% 0.1 15x
19 St. Louis city 39 F -0.6% — -1.6% +1.6% 3.1x +0.3% -0.5 12x
20 St. Louis County 33 F -0.2% — -0.1% +2.0% 5.9x +1.6% 0.6 16x
21 St. Charles County 30 B+ +0.0% — +1.1% +1.7% 13.0x +1.2% 0.9 16x
22 Platte County 29 B -0.1% — +1.5% +0.5% 13.1x +1.5% 0.1 18x

Capital Investment in Missouri

Tracked Projects · Public Records
$185.5B
Total tracked investment
5,337
Jobs announced
92
Projects across 20 counties

Where the money is going

Data Centers $167.2B 90%
Energy $12.9B 7%
Military/Government $2.0B 1%
Commercial/Residential $1.3B 1%

Top counties by investment

  1. 01 Platte County $101.2B
    6 projects · 400 jobs
  2. 02 Cole County $35.5B
    3 projects
  3. 03 Pulaski County $11.6B
    5 projects · 550 jobs
  4. 04 Greene County $10.3B
    4 projects · 1,687 jobs
  5. 05 Jefferson County $7.3B
    5 projects · 200 jobs
  6. 06 St. Louis city $3.8B
    6 projects

Largest projects in Missouri

Project County Amount Status
Project Kestrel (Hyperscale Data Center Campus)
Undisclosed (Port KC envisions) · Data Centers · 300 jobs
 Platte County $100.0B Proposed
Amazon Web Services (AWS) "Project Green" Data Center Campus
Amazon Web Services (AWS) · Data Centers
 Cole County $35.0B Proposed
Project Hummingbird Data Center Campus
International Electric Power (IEP) · Data Centers · 1,000 jobs
 Greene County $10.0B Planned
AVAIO Digital Leo Data Center (Pulaski County, AR)
AVAIO Digital Partners · Data Centers · 500 jobs
 Pulaski County $6.0B Under Construction
CRG Data Center
CRG (developer), unnamed technology tenant · Data Centers · 200 jobs
 Jefferson County $6.0B Proposed
Mammoth Solar Farm
Doral Renewables LLC · Energy
 Pulaski County $4.5B Planned
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) Next NGA West Campus
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency · Military/Government
 St. Louis city $1.7B Under Construction
Metrobloks Data Center Campus
Metrobloks · Data Centers · 30 jobs
 Clay County $1.4B Planned
→ Methodology · How We Tracked $4T Across 858 Counties

Source: public records, corporate announcements, state EDC filings. Tracking projects with $25M+ in announced investment or 500+ jobs. Some figures are estimates where exact totals weren't disclosed.

Missouri shaded relief terrain map
SRTM 30m shaded relief
State Spotlight · 2026-04-29

Missouri's population growth fuels steady housing and infrastructure spending

What's driving growth

Missouri's population grew by approximately 27,000 residents between July 2024 and July 2025, with domestic migration from states like Illinois being a primary contributor. This population increase, alongside international migration, is supporting demand in the housing market and labor force. Major infrastructure projects, such as the multi-billion dollar "Improve I-70" initiative, are also stimulating economic activity across the state.

Housing market right now

Missouri's housing market is projected to maintain stability through 2026, with home prices expected to appreciate by 2-4%. The median home price in November 2025 was $280,500, an increase of approximately 7% from the previous year. Inventory levels saw an 18.8% year-over-year increase in March 2025, offering buyers more options.

Migration patterns

Missouri experienced positive net domestic migration between July 2024 and July 2025, with about 14,000 more people moving into the state than leaving. International migration also contributed positively, adding approximately 12,700 people during the same period. This migration trend has contributed to Missouri's overall population growth of 0.43% between July 2024 and July 2025, outpacing the Midwest average.

Headwinds

While Missouri's economy shows growth, a slowdown in labor market expansion is anticipated through 2026, with a forecasted increase in the unemployment rate. Inflation remains a concern for small business owners, with rising taxes and tariffs also cited as challenges. The state also faces a projected $2 billion general revenue shortfall for fiscal year 2027, largely due to previously enacted state tax cuts.

Key facts

  • Missouri's minimum wage increased to $15.00 per hour on January 1, 2026. (STL.News, December 2025)
  • The statewide paid sick leave mandate was rescinded by Governor Kehoe in 2025. (Fisher Phillips, December 2025)
  • Missouri's population grew by nearly 27,000 residents between July 1, 2024, and July 1, 2025. (U.S. Census Bureau, February 2026)
  • The median home price in Missouri was $280,500 in November 2025. (FasterHouse, January 2026)
  • The "Improve I-70" project, a $2.8 billion initiative, will add a third lane in each direction on nearly 200 miles of Interstate 70, with total completion anticipated by the end of 2030. (Missouri Department of Transportation, May 2025)
Updated 2026-04-29 · grounded research
19 sources
  1. kansascity.com
  2. kbia.org
  3. usafacts.org
  4. kcur.org
  5. huckbuyshomes.com
  6. houzeo.com
  7. modot.org
  8. modot.org
  9. modot.org
  10. youtube.com
  11. stl.news
  12. anderscpa.com
  13. jdsupra.com
  14. laborlawcenter.com
  15. cwdregion.com
  16. fasterhouse.com
  17. mo.gov
  18. stlamerican.com
  19. mobudget.org